A THURROCK architect who has won support from the general public on social media for some cogent ideas about property development in green belt areas has called for a correction of planning meeting minutes after alleging misinformation was spread at a council meeting and allowed to go unchecked.

Chris Nixon of Tilbury-based Vision Project Management, together and applicant Ricky Jeffs have spoken up after actually gaining planning permission for a development of five homes in the green belt for over 55s in Fobbing at last Thursday's (26 November) meeting of Thurrock Council's planning committee.

It might yet prove to be a hollow victory as the planning permission was agreed in controversial circumstances, following angry clashes between councillors, while planning officers opposed it.

And it may well be that the decision will be overturned as an unlawful one if it fails to pass an inspection by the council's legal team - or is not rejected after intervention by the planning inspectorate.

Mr Nixon - who has defended some of his recent planning applications on social media where he has won some support from residents - is upset that what is apparently misleading information was put in the public domain by one of the members of the committee.

During the debate Steven Taylor - who does not have a vote but is an influential member of the committee as the representative of the Campaign for Rural England, claimed there were more than 700 bungalows for sale across Thurrock and there was no need for five more in the application.

That was an argument seized on by Cllr Gary Byrne, who fervently opposed the plan, as a significant reason why it should be rejected.

But Mr Nixon and his colleagues say rather than more than 700 - there are actually less than 70 unsold bungalows for the in the borough.

And he fears that if the debate and evidence put before councillors is weighed and balanced in some future legal judgement it would be wrong not to correct the misleading figures.

The figures quoted by Cllr Taylor were also used in a subsequent debate during the meeting about another plan to build bungalows - at Orsett Heath - an application that is still to be determined as councillors elected to have a site visit.

Mr Nixon, who last month saw officers reject his scheme for another over 55s development near the Orsett Cock roundabout rejected by officers with it ever going to committee, says: "We noted that a figure of 700 plus unsold bungalows was repeatedly thrown around as fact by Mr Taylor and Councillor Byrne at planning committee the other night.

"According to Rightmove, there are actually only 63 bungalows for sale across the whole borough.

"Of the 63 on sale, we have counted nine with roof extensions (ie possibly three beds or more). It is likely most, all have the ability under permitted development, to develop into the roof. Therefore, becoming effectively family homes in the future.

"From my own searches there are only 780 or so properties of all types for sale in the borough.

"We have respectfully asked the council that the figure of over 700+ bungalows is struck from the official record and minutes of the meeting in the interests of fairness, not only to our Fobbing application but also to the applicant and agent for the application for bungalows at Orsett Heath."